Lighting Question

[Triggerobsessed]

I just bought 105lbs of live rock off line and i'll have it thursday, however i dont have powerful lighting in my tank. I have a dual flor. strip on the tank that totals 60watts. I know that this isn't enough for a reef, so i was wondering what type of lighting system would be best for a reef of soft corals. I want to put the following corals and inverts in the tank...toadstool coral, starpolyps, colt coral, various leather corals, a sebae anenome, and clams. I don't have enough for a metal halide system, so are there any other sytems powerful enough for what i want? Im not looking to spend over $300. Thanks for any help

 

[Danno]

How big is your tank?

 

[Triggerobsessed]

80 gallons 48" long and like about 30" or a little more high.

 

[wflash3]

i dont know if PC will be enough for clams??

flash

 

[Danno]

MH for Clams.

 

[SkiFletch]

MH for Clams.

Or a 6xT5 setup . If you're good with DIY, I suggest looking into T5 and/or a dual 175watt metal halide retrofit kit. If you have a place to install the halides you could probably get it done for under $300. Do you have a hood or no?

 

[Triggerobsessed]

MH for Clams.

Or a 6xT5 setup . If you're good with DIY, I suggest looking into T5 and/or a dual 175watt metal halide retrofit kit. If you have a place to install the halides you could probably get it done for under $300. Do you have a hood or no?

I have a wooden canopy. I also don't want metal halide because of the heat that is produced.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, then if you want to keep clams, you're gonna need a 6xT5 retrofit kit. I'm pretty sure hellolights.com has dual retrofit setups for ~$100 each. Might be worth a looksee

 

[Triggerobsessed]

I was looking at a very cheap 250w mh retrofit but it had a probe start, anybody know anything about this?

 

[SkiFletch]

I was looking at a very cheap 250w mh retrofit but it had a probe start, anybody know anything about this?

That just means you have to match a probe-start bulb with the probe-start ballast.

 

[Triggerobsessed]

That just means you have to match a probe-start bulb with the probe-start ballast.
[/quote]


Better to go with a 400w or a 250w? they are both listed at around $200 with the bulb.

 

[Triggerobsessed]

After doing more research i found vho t-12 fluorescent bulbs that have an output of 110w. If i put 2 in my current fluorescent strip would that be enough for what i want to keep?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well if they have individual reflectors (internal or external), then you might be able to get away with a clam if it were atop the rock stack. VHO's are renowned for their brilliant colors but their penetration of water at depth leaves something to be desired. A quad bulb VHO fixture would handle most things you can throw at it.

 

[pleder]

Because fo the coverage of MH if you are going to go that route IME you would need at least two. Each bulb can cover about two square feet. As far as penetration to get 30" down your going to need the 400wers, which will produce substantial heat.

IMO the best option for you would be to go with the T5 setup.

For clams look at the deresa, it is a lower light clam. I don't know enough about seabae anenome's to coments, but in my limited knowledge of anenome's they require lots of light. Like I said, I don't know much of seabae's.

 

[Triggerobsessed]

I went to my lfs store the other day, and decided to forget my $300 budget by buying a 4 bulb nova extreme t5 fixture that produces 230watts. Is this fixture enough? thanks for the help